1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices for detecting the presence of fluids, such as water, and, more particularly, is concerned with a fluid detection and shutoff actuation apparatus retro fitable on an existing fluid shutoff valve.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Water may leak from a defective portion of a water line or from malfunctioning appliances or fixtures connected to the water line that are disposed within a building. Such leaks typically will cause considerable damage to walls, floors and ceilings of the building as well as to furnishings inside the building. It would be desirable to be able to detect the presence of water at any of a variety of locations where such leaks may occur. It further would be desirable to have a mechanism by which the passage of water through the water line may be stopped upon detection of the presence of water at certain locations.
Various devices have been developed over the years which provide detection systems. Representative examples of such prior art detection devices and the like are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,024,372 to Seele, U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,000 to Cramer, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,553,481, 3,847,351 and 4,216,789 to Hasenbeck, U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,403 to Fischer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,200 to Lohoff, U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,647 to Sturman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,606 to Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,686 to Tom, U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,268 to Jacobson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,920 to Reiter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,562 to Davis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,143 to Krebs and U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,022 to Franklin. The Franklin patent, in particular, discloses a device which closes a valve ball when liquid, such as water, is detected by one or more sensors. While the prior art Franklin device may be satisfactory in use for the specific purpose for which it was designed, its installment would seem to require replacement and/or modification of an existing water shutoff valve and thus its use would be costly since it appears not to be retrofitable to an existing ball-type shutoff valve.
Consequently, a need remains for an innovation which will provide a more optimum solution to the aforementioned problems in the prior art without introducing any new problems in place thereof.